Renovations After The Flood
How are you doing? We are thinking about our community and hope everyone is safe after last week's flooding here in Montco & PV. Our team at Reliable is here to help your during this restoration period & our goal is to make the process as stress-free as possible. Here are a few tips on what to do next and how Reliable General Contracting can help you during this difficult time.
We have received a lot of calls asking about our restoration process. We first recommend calling your insurance company to understand exactly what you're covered for. We will work with you and your adjusters by providing a free estimate for any flood-related damages and restoration.
When it comes to finding a contractor - you will need to work with someone who is experienced in restoring water-damaged homes. Ask the question—don’t assume every contractor will know what to do. Our crew of licensed technicians and contractors know what to do in this situation & we have extensive experience with river and storm flooding. Below are the most common renovations we provide after a flood & more tips for what is next....
WORKING WITH A LICENSED AND EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
This is crucial, especially if water rose as high as your electrical panel, outlets and switches. If water got into fixtures and or appliances, for safety’s sake, you must have your electrical checked by a licensed electrical contractor and the damage repaired before turning back on. We have you covered from the floors to the lights - so you can rely on us to get the job done right.
HVAC SPECIALISTS
Your heating and cooling system could have been damaged by flood waters, so have it checked by an HVAC specialist. If you suspect that water got into heat registers and/or ducts - give them a call to assess any damages and repairs.
REPLACING YOUR FLOORS
All damaged flooring (including laminate, hardwood, carpeting and tiling) should be ripped out, as well as the subfloor.
Laminate and hardwood floors will absorb water, swell and warp. All water-damaged carpeting must be removed along with the underpad, especially if there is any natural fibre in it. If the carpet is made of synthetic material it won’t serve as a food source for mold, but the subfloor (made of wood or a composite) is most likely soaked through. Even if you have tile, which doesn’t absorb water, the wood substrate will never completely dry out with tile over top of it. Any wet wood or OSB will lead to mold. Let's take a look & talk about replacement.
REPAIRING YOUR WALLS
Most walls are made of wood studs and drywall. Both will grow mold if there's moisture. We will need to open up your walls so the studs can dry out and as a bare minimum, we should remove at least 1 foot of drywall above the water line, all the way down to the floor. If they don’t, you will get mold and mildew.
Insulation will never completely dry out, which will keep moisture in your walls forever. That can lead to poor air quality, mold and mildew and further damage to your home’s structure from rot.
COMPLETE BASEMENT & GROUND FLOOR REMODELING
Depending on the amount of damage, some folksl choose to tear out the entire basement, right down to the foundation walls and start over. That way it can be rebuilt the right way using mold-resistant drywall and insulation products that also help create a proper thermal break. Plus, a reason to update your basement or ground floor. Let's talk about how extensive or minimal we need and you want to restore after last week's flood.
